In line with the 2014 National Curriculum for History, our intent is to help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world.
At Hatchlands, our aim is that through enquiries our children should be able to tell their own coherent story of their and other people’s pasts. The history element in the Learning Units is driven by an emphasis on learners understanding the chronological sequence and enabling links across and between events, people and periods in history. The purpose of this will be for learners to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.
Our curriculum is laid out in such a way that the children will initially learn about their immediate history, that being their family and location. This provides the starting block in EYFS which is built upon as they enter Key Stage 1. Once this is consolidated, they gain a wider experience of global history.
Vocabulary Focus
Lessons have a strong focus on vocabulary (Wow Words) and these are introduced at the beginning of each lesson and referred to at the end, ensuring that pupils clearly understand the meaning of each word and are able to use them confidently.
Through Drama
Set in a specific historical context:
Timelines
A variety of timelines for frequent intentional and responsive reference and chronological development are displayed and used in classes. They continue at KS2 to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of the past.
The format of the timelines are age appropriate to support both historical and mathematical understanding and build as periods in time and duration are considered as the year progresses and also from year to year.
Visual Images
Visual images are powerful teaching and learning tools, providing windows into the past. We need to teach visual skills to children, and that means treating pictures as sources of information. Pictures can be read as texts in their own right, not as mere illustrations.
Using Objects
Practical archaeology- bury objects (or fragments)
Raise What, Where, How, When and Why questions about an object.
Children observe, describe and draw an object in detail.
Link to Drivers | Challenge | Environment | Equity | Relationships |
By encouraging children to apply critical thinking upon learned events and draw their conclusions. By focusing on the way past events and situations have been interpreted after their time and the fact that there is nearly always more than one way of looking at a historical event. | By ensuring learners gain an understanding of how people, places, economies and environments are all inextricably interrelated, and that choices and events have repercussions on a global scale | By drawing on work from a diverse and representative range of people e.g. Focus on gender and racial equity in history lessons | By teaching emotive and controversial issues as part of an enquiry approach By engaging children in key ideas related to: similarity and difference: emphasising not just that people and societies have differences, but also that there are similarities change and continuity: helping children realise that they themselves are part of a changing scene reasons and results — devoting sufficient time to explaining why things were as they were |
History Overview Years 1-6